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MSG Network
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Madison Square Garden Network | |
 |
|
| Type | Regional sports network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Availability | NY metro area; nationwide |
| Owner | Cablevision |
| Launch date | October 15, 1969 |
| Website | MSG.com |
The Madison Square Garden Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the New York City area. The network takes the name of Madison Square Garden and has long been the producer of radio and television broadcasts of the NBA's New York Knicks, NHL's New York Rangers, WNBA's New York Liberty, which play their home games at the Garden. MSG also broadcasts MLS's New York Red Bulls who play at Giants Stadium. The Buffalo Sabres of the NHL also broadcast games on a different feed of the channel in Upstate and Western New York. MSG also has a sister station, FSN New York, which is the primary home to the NHL's New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders as well as national FSN programming.
MSG rebranded on October 5, 2006 with a new logo, new graphics and the removal of Network from promotion of the station's name. [1] Since the relaunch, more entertainment-oriented programming has aired on the network. This programming includes concerts and professional boxing and wrestling cards that have taken place at Madison Square Garden or Radio City Music Hall (both operated by MSG Entertainment) in the past and continue to occur to this day.
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The radio division of MSG, known as the Madison Square Garden (MSG) Radio Network, produces Knicks and Rangers broadcasts for 1050 ESPN Radio. MSG has been working with 1050 to secure radio affiliates outside that station's relatively limited coverage area. Prior to the fall of 2004, MSG-produced Knicks and Rangers games aired on WFAN.
All home Knicks games and selected Knicks away games have Spanish-language SAP that is a simulcast of its radio coverage on WADO. Red Bulls games have Spanish-language SAP that is a simulcast of its radio coverage on WQBU or WADO.
MSG and its sister station FSN New York, also broadcast Big East football and basketball, MAAC basketball, NEC basketball, Atlantic 10 basketball, Pac 10 football and basketball, Big 12 football and women's basketball, and ACC basketball. The latter three are part of national FOX Sports Net broadcast contracts, while the others are either produced by the conferences themselves (Comcast co-produces Atlantic 10 games) or ESPN Plus. MSG also currently has the rights to the coaches shows for Rutgers University and St. John's University. In 2007, MSG signed a multi-year deal with Rutgers and the Big East to broadcast live certain Rutgers football games, and to broadcast in a condensed version Rutgers games that appear on ESPN/ABC.
Selected New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games also air on MSG when both teams play at the same time, with one airing on sister-channel FSN New York, which along with MSG are officially referred to as MSG Media, formerly MSG Networks. In turn, selected Rangers games air on FSN New York when the Knicks are on MSG and no live game is airing on FSNY at the same time. Any programming to which MSG owns the rights could air on either channel.
If more than two of these four local teams are playing at the same time, the Knicks games always air on MSG, unless they have a late start time, because the Knicks are the highest-rated property on these networks. The Rangers games air on MSG2, or MSG when Knicks have a late start time, and the Devils or Islanders games air on FSN New York 2. These are different selected channels for each cable system, many being broadcast on the TV Guide Channel, while satellite systems will show them on a sports alternate channel. These channels are sometimes not available outside New York City and nearby suburbs, although DirecTV, DISH, and Comcast typically offer them. Since the start of the 2006-07 NHL season, this has been the case, likely due to the Rangers being owned by Cablevision, that Rangers sometimes have preference over the Devils and Islanders to play on the regular FSN New York. The dates and channel listings for each airing can be found on a new website created this season, to which MSG's website directs viewers.
From the fall of 1998 until the spring of 2005, Cablevision chose not to open up an additional MSG2 channel, instead placing games on their MSG Metro Channels, which was only available in limited homes. Sometimes, games were also placed onto Riverhead-based WLNY. During this era, when two of the teams that the MSG Networks covered played against each other, only one broadcast would usually be produced using one of the team's announcing duos (this was either due to MSG's TV contracts, or a desire to show a different sporting event at the same time). With the discontinuation of Metro, and the loss of the New Jersey Nets from their winter lineup, the MSG Networks now produce two broadcasts when two of their teams are playing against each other.
- MSG's new flagship program, added in October 2006, is called MSG, NY. It is a daily sports and entertainment highlights show, which is shown numerous times during the day. Formerly called MSG Sportsdesk, and solely focusing on sports, the show has changed as part of MSG's 2006 rebranding to focus on anything taking place at MSG, although sports remains the primary focus. The show however, gives expanded coverage to the teams which the network carries, treating it as an expansion to the network's post-game coverage. Other New York area teams are covered, but not as much as the teams which MSG holds the rights to. This will likely keep the show out of direct competition with Sports Nite on SportsNet New York. MSG, NY is taped in a street-level studio, with a window looking at Madison Square Garden across the street. The show does not air on Sundays and Mondays, probably because they are considered "low-viewership nights". [2] However, a full post-game show airs if the Knicks or Rangers are playing. MSG, NY Extra also airs on Sundays, a taped program spotlighting music groups and other entertainment. The studio is also used by Cablevision-owned Fuse.
- Inside the Knicks, added in 2005, is a weekly Knicks magazine show.
- Knicks 101, added in 2005, features classic Knicks games augmented with MTV-style pop-up graphics and analysis from players who were involved in those games.
- SummerBall, added in 2006, is a series that highlights the major summer basketball leagues in New York City, featuring Hoops in the Sun at Orchard Beach, EBC at Rucker Park, Dyckman and the Uptowners Basketball League, hosted by Bobbito Garcia.
- Inside the Rangers, added in 2006, is a weekly Rangers magazine show.
- Rangers Classics, added in June 2004, re-broadcasts memorable games from the Rangers' 1979, 1994, and 1997 playoff runs. The series initially launched to mark the tenth anniversary of the Rangers' last Stanley Cup title (both MSG and WFAN re-broadcasted Game 7 on June 14, 2004, the exact anniversary date of the team's championship clincher). During the off-season, games from the previous season air, based on an online fan vote.
- MSG Hockey Night Live (formerly Hockey Night New York Live), added in 2005 and renamed in 2007, is the branding for pre-game, intermission, and post-game reports for each of the three local teams during the NHL season. It is a variation of the FSN Live format used by other regional sports networks. Al Trautwig is the primary host, with Dave Maloney and long-time hockey journalist Stan Fischler among the studio analysts.
- English Premier League, added in 2002, is a rebroadcast of a game each week from that league, which originally aired on Fox Soccer Channel.
- New York Red Bulls live matches, with pre and post game shows.
- High School Weekly, one of MSG's longest-running shows, focuses on high school football and basketball from around the region, hosted by Mike Quick. Many NFL, NBA, and WNBA stars have appeared on the show during their high school days.
- High School Game of the Week, broadcasts a weekly high school football or basketball game on tape delay from various parts of the NYC metropolitan area; the games typically feature schools from the suburbs (where MSG's parent, Cablevision, tends to be the dominant cable provider), or private schools in NYC itself. Selected games air live, such as the annual PSAL basketball championship at MSG, and occasional holiday football or basketball rivalry games.
- The LAX Report, added in 2006, is a local high school lacrosse show similar to High School Weekly, hosted by Mike Quick.
- The Boomer Esiason Show features interviews and commentary from former NFL quarterback and current commentator Boomer Esiason. The show airs during the NFL season.
- Make it Hot, added in 2006, is a car customization show similar to MTV's Pimp My Ride, hosted by former NBA forward Jerome Williams, who last played for the Knicks. Make it Hot is produced by Romie Productions along with Jason Grant and Phylon Media LLC.
- The 50 Greatest Moments at Madison Square Garden, a look at the historic events that have gone on inside the famed arena, both sports and non-sports-related, that debuted in October 2006. [3]
- MSG Originals, added in 2007, is a series of programs expanding on 50 Greatest Moments to further discuss the Garden's history. Topics include Mecca of Boxing and Spring of 1994.
- MSG Vault, added in 2006, is a series that features classic Knicks and Rangers games that have not been seen by the public in decades. In some cases, MSG no longer has complete tapes of the games, and so the content often resembles that of a grab-bag. It includes segments from Knicks 101. In launching MSG Vault, MSG indicated that it has over 90,000 tapes of Garden events in its archive, although some prior to the 1990s are incomplete (parts of events may have been taped over or erased). [4]
- WWE MSG Classics, added in 2006. Airs WWE Classic matches that have been held at Madison Square Garden, hosted by Mean Gene Okerlund.
MSG's website, MSG.com, has had exclusive podcast programming only available via download starting in 2006. These include:
- This Week in Hockey, added in 2006, is a weekly hockey podcast hosted by Matt Loughlin, with guests from around the NHL and from MSG Networks, including Stan Fischler, Joe Micheletti, and the fantasy hockey perspective provided by the RinkRat.
- Batt'r Up!, added in 2006, is a weekly baseball podcast hosted by Matt Loughlin and long-time baseball analyst Fran Healy, with guests from around Major League Baseball, and fantasy advice from The Knuckler [5]. New York Post columnist and MSG baseball analyst Joel Sherman also contributes.
- CenterCourt, added in 2006, is an all-basketball podcast hosted by Gus Johnson and featuring John Andariese and Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Gus recaps the latest in NBA news and offers fantasy advice, while Clyde answers fan emails in "Dishin and Swishin" and John tells basketball stories in "Tall Tales". David Dominik hosts the Three-Point Play segment and conducts the One-on-One interviews with some of the biggest names in the NBA.
- Mike Breen: Knicks play-by-play announcer
- Steve Cangialosi: Red Bulls pre-game host and sideline reporter; Fill-in Red Bulls play-by-play announcer
- Mike Crispino: Fill-in Rangers play-by-play announcer
- Bill Daughtry: Fill-in Knicks home game pre-game and intermission host
- JP Dellacamera: Red Bulls play-by-play announcer
- Boomer Esiason: Host of The Boomer Esiason Show
- Stan Fischler: hockey analyst; MSG Hockey Night Live studio analyst
- Walt "Clyde" Frazier: Knicks game color announcer
- Anthony "Fooch" Fucilli: reporter (mostly football)
- Christopher Fusco: MSG legal analyst
- John Giannone: Rangers sideline reporter and occasional MSG Hockey Night Live host; host of Inside the Rangers
- Jason Horowitz: Lead host of MSG, NY
- Rick Jeanneret: Sabres play-by-play announcer
- Dave Jennings: football analyst
- Deb Kaufman: MSG, NY host
- Dave Maloney: Fill-in Rangers color analyst
- Shep Messing: Red Bulls color analyst; former co-host of MSG Soccer Report
- Joe Micheletti: Rangers color analyst
- Mary Murphy: Liberty color analyst
- Harry Neale: Sabres color analyst
- Mean Gene Okerlund: Host of WWE Madison Square Garden Classics
- Jesse Palmer: MSG, NY football analyst
- Mike Quick: Host of High School Weekly and The LAX Report; high school sports reporter
- Rob Ray: Sabres studio analyst and sideline reporter
- Sam Rosen: Rangers play-by-play announcer; MSG, NY football analyst
- Joel Sherman: MSG, NY baseball analyst
- Kenny Smith: Knicks color analyst
- John Starks: Fill-in Knicks color announcer and studio analyst
- Al Trautwig: Rangers and Knicks home game pre-game and intermission host; host of MSG Hockey Night Live, Inside the Knicks, MSG Vault, and MSG, NY
- Bob Wischusen: Liberty play-by-play announcer
- Kenny Albert: Rangers radio play-by-play announcer
- John Andariese: Knicks radio color announcer
- Gus Johnson: Knicks radio play-by-play announcer
- Don LaGreca: Rangers pre-game, intermission, and post-game radio host
- Dave Maloney: Rangers radio color announcer
- Spencer Ross: Knicks pre-game, halftime, and post-game radio host; Fill-in Knicks radio play-by-play announcer
- Bob Wischusen: Fill-in Rangers radio play-by-play announcer
- Marv Albert: Knicks and Rangers play-by-play announcer and MSG SportsDesk anchor (1969–2004; now with YES Network and TNT)
- Gary Apple: Fill-in anchor for MSG SportsDesk (2004–2005; now with SportsNet New York)
- Bill Chadwick: Rangers radio and TV color commentator (1967-1981)
- Doug Collins: Knicks color announcer (early 2000s); now with TNT
- John Davidson: Rangers color announcer (1983–2006; now president of the St. Louis Blues)
- Jim Gordon: Rangers TV play-by-play announcer (1969-70, 1973-84)
- Jim Kaat: Yankees color announcer (1994–2001; left for YES Network before retiring as a broadcaster in 2006)
- Michael Kay: Yankees post-game reporter and fill-in pre-game host (1991-2001; now with YES Network)
- Tony Kubek: Yankees announcer (1990–1994; retired)
- Jim Lorentz: Sabres color analyst (2005-2007; retired)
- Curt Menefee: Unnecessary Roughness co-host and MSG SportsDesk anchor (–2004; now with Fox Sports)
- Ken Singleton: Yankees color announcer (1997-2002; now with YES Network)
- Keith Hernandez: Mets color announcer (–2005; now with SportsNet New York)
- Bob Page: Anchor for MSG SportsDesk
- Tommy Smyth: Red Bulls color announcer (now with ESPN)
- Jenna Wolfe: sports reporter; now with NBC News
- Ethan Zohn: Co-host of MSG Soccer Report
After the collapse of the Empire Sports Network caused by the bankruptcy of Adelphia, MSG now also broadcasts the Buffalo Sabres to Upstate New York customers (defined as virtually all of the state outside the New York City Nielsen DMA). The Sabres essentially control the entire broadcast, including the sale of advertising and production of an exclusive post-game show. Aside from Sabres games, MSG controls the broadcasts of all other local teams that it carries (with teams usually retaining the right to approve or reject MSG's choice of announcers).
The two sides agreed to a 10-year contract extension in 2006.[6]
There has been a certain amount of controversy regarding the Nielsen ratings for the Sabres' broadcasts on MSG. Traditionally, Buffalo's hockey ratings are among the highest in the United States. Regular season Sabres games on Versus and NBC generally register 15-20 shares in the Buffalo market, and approach 30 in the playoffs. However, Sabres games on MSG register only 6-10 shares, even in the playoffs. It is believed that viewership for the Sabres on MSG is heavily underreported to Nielsen.[citation needed]
MSG is available in most of Upstate New York. Rangers, Devils, and Islanders games are blacked out in the Sabres' primary broadcast territory, which is the Buffalo and Rochester Nielsen markets, but Knicks games are broadcast on Time Warner Sports 26 or a temporary alternate channel when there is a conflict with the Sabres, except for Chautauqua County, part of which is within 100 miles of Cleveland and gets only Cleveland Cavaliers games on FSN Ohio as per NBA rules. The Knicks are also subject to blackout in eastern-most Connecticut, within 100 miles of Boston.
However, Buffalo and most of Erie and Niagara Counties, a territory located within the 100 mile radius of Toronto, do not have Knicks games blacked out in favor of the Toronto Raptors. This is most likely because the Raptors' exclusive territory ends at the U.S. border, although select games did air on Empire while that network still operated and no CBC Sports programming is usually blacked out by U.S. cable operators offering a CBC station.
Most of upstate New York (notably Albany, Binghamton, and Syracuse) gets every Sabres game but also the Rangers, Islanders, or Devils under certain conditions. A maximum of 50 Rangers, Islanders, and Devils games (per team) can be broadcast outside the New York City DMA each season under current NHL rules; this also covers broadcasts in parts of the Hartford/New Haven and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre media markets. The exact number of games aired in outer markets varies each year, depending on how the NBA and NHL schedules come out. MSG's website lists what games are subject to blackout, and where, with each region designated as a "zone." Outside Western New York, Knicks games always air on MSG, while FSN New York carries the Sabres, should both play at the same time.
The presence of Sabres games in the Albany market led to some controversy, because most cable systems in that market had not carried the previous home of Sabres games (the now-defunct Empire Sports Network) for several years, and the fan-base for the Sabres is widely thought to be smaller than that of the New York City-area teams (and even Boston-area teams, as WSBK served the region for several years before each upstate market got local affiliates of the now defunct UPN and WB networks).
Time Warner Cable and Cablevision have made deals so that both FSN New York and SportsNet New York are available on analog basic in most upstate markets, although some only get FSN New York on digital cable. In the former case, viewers can see Knicks, Sabres, and New York Mets games without upgrading their package or switching to satellite TV.
College sporting events may also be blacked out in upstate New York, Connecticut (except Fairfield County), and Pennsylvania, especially involving teams from the Big East Conference. MSG usually can only acquire broadcast rights to Big East football and basketball in the New York City DMA. Time Warner Cable and other operators hold local rights to these games in order to put them on their own channels (such as Time Warner Sports 26) in Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse). National FSN college sports or programming airs in the blacked-out markets, unless a Sabres game is scheduled for Upstate viewers.
The MSG Television network debuted on October 15, 1969 with a game between the Rangers and the Minnesota North Stars. MSG Network, thus, became the first regional sports network in North America, and one of the first of its kind in the world.
The channel, which at the time was not even named, was carried by Manhattan Cable Television under a one-year, 125-event deal that was signed in May, 1969. At the time, the cable company, which had televised Knickerbocker and Ranger post-season games the previous spring for a $25,000 rights fee, had only 13,000 subscribers.[7]
The Garden renewed the deal with the cable company, then called Sterling Manhattan Cable Television, in the fall on 1970 for five years at an estimated rights fee of $1m to $1.5m. Charles Dolan was the president of the cable company at the time.[8]
Games from the Garden later appeared throughout the early days of Home Box Office. By 1978, the first mentions of the "temporarily named" Madison Square Garden Network appeared in print. [9]
Between 1989 and 2001, the network was the cable home of the New York Yankees. MSG paid an average of $55 million a year for those rights, and the deal is widely credited as having started a national trend towards greater team coverage on regional sports networks, with more games being broadcast than over-the-air stations' regular programming schedules could usually permit. MSG also produced the Yankees radio broadcasts from 1994 to 2001, which aired on WABC-AM. MSG also owned the over the air broadcast rights to Yankee games, which they sold to long-time broadcaster WPIX from 1989-1998 and WNYW from 1999-2001 (at the time, NewsCorp owned part of MSG). In 2002, the Yankees left MSG to form the YES Network. From 2002 to 2005, MSG aired games from Major League Baseball's New York Mets on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, games which previously aired on FSNY (MSG, FSNY, and WPIX each carried about 50 games a season on consistent days of the week). Like the Yankee deals, Cablevision also owned the broadcast TV rights, placing games on WWOR before moving to WPIX in 1999. After the 2005 baseball season, Met games moved to SportsNet New York, a cable network partially owned by the Mets, although WPIX retained a reduced slate of games. Comcast and Time Warner, which generally control whatever NYC-area cable systems Cablevision doesn't (Time Warner controls most of Upstate New York as well), are the other partners.
The network has been owned throughout its history by the owners of Madison Square Garden as well as the Knicks, Rangers and now the Liberty. The Garden was from 1972 to 1989 owned by Gulf+Western, which was renamed to Paramount Communications in 1989, and sold to Viacom in 1994.
The current owner of the Garden and MSG Network is Cablevision, as part of their Rainbow Media division.
 Logo from 1996 until October 2006. |
 MSG HD logo until October 2006. |
MSG HD is a high definition simulcast of the best programs from MSG Network, including home games of the Knicks, Liberty, and NHL teams, and select away games. Red Bulls home games and college football games produced by FSN may also sometimes be in HD. MSG HD can be seen on DirecTV (except Buffalo Sabres coverage), Cablevision, Time Warner Cable & Comcast. MSG HD is not currently available on Verizon FiOS TV, DISH Network, RCN, or AT&T U-verse TV.
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